Hosea 14:9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; [Whoever] is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.

Hosea
8:7-9 - For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the
whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so
be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. Israel is
swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel
wherein [is] no pleasure. For they are gone up to Assyria, a
wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

Hosea
14:9 - Who [is] wise, and he shall understand these
[things]? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the
LORD [are] right, and the just shall walk in them: but the
transgressors shall fall therein.

The prophet Hosea had a real-life situation
that God used to illustrate his problem with the nation of Israel. Hosea's
adulterous wife had broken his heart, and this is exactly what the children of
Israel had done to God when they played the harlot with other gods. Later when
her adulterous affairs had led her to be sold on the slave block, Hosea was
willing to buy her back for he could not give her up. This dramatically
illustrated Israel's situation for soon they would be conquered by the Assyrians
and then sold into slavery because they had forgotten their God. The prophet
Hosea spoke about a future blessing in which God will restore Israel.

My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to
the Most High, none at all exalt Him. "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I
hand you over, Israel? . . . My heart churns within Me; my sympathy is stirred.
. . "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has
turned away from him." Hosea 11:7-8, 14:4

The prophet Hosea was commanded by God to marry a wife of
harlotry because Israel hath committed great harlotry. He was
sent by God to prophesy about the northern King of Israel. Hosea
ministered to Israel for a great length of time (over 50 years),
and they were his primary target although he does mention four
kings of Judah (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah). The
northern kingdom of Israel was enjoying tremendous prosperity
during the reign of Jeroboam II, yet when he died various kings
came to the throne for a brief period of time and then many were
assassinated. The problem with the northern kingdom was that
they were idolaters, and every one of their kings were evil
whether they prospered or not. The people were making sacrifices
on heathen altars, adultery was prevalent, and ritualistic
prostitution abounded. Hosea attributed their wretchedness to a
lack of knowledge, not a lack of intellectual knowledge,
but lacking a relationship with the living God. Yet God loves
his people with an everlasting love in spite of their
corruption.

The contents of the book may be analyzed further as follows :

Outline of the Book of Hosea

In Hosea 1-3, the faithless actions of Israel toward God are illustrated by the
relationship between Hosea and his adultress wife, Gomer. The names
of his children indicate the attitude of God toward Israel. The first is named "Jezreel"
after the city which was the scene of Jehu's brutality and which signified that
God would punish his people. Lo-Ruhamah (Not pitied) and Lo-Ammi (Not my
people) are the names given to the two other children, signifying the
estrangement which was the inevitable result of the actions of Israel. God's
love is illustrated in Hosea's willingness to buy his wife back from the
practice of harlotry - though she could not continue in her harlotry while he
was with her.

The second division of the prophecy, found in Hosea 4-14, presents a detailed
picture of the depths of depravity to which Israel had gone, with alternating
passages of reproof, threats of punishment, and assurances of restoration.

Many Thanks to The British Museum, The Louvre, The Oriental Institute, Dr. Amihai Mazar, Dr. Dan Bahat, Dr. Craig Johnson, Yaacov Kuc, Chuck Smith, Jim Darden, Ron Haaland, The Translators of the KJV, and many others including Jesus, the Word of God.